Lent is a special
season - a holy season. - that can be a great gift to every one
who observes this time of the year. The traditional disciplines
of this season are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These three
disciplines are ingrained in the words that we heard introduced
in the Ash Wednesday liturgy, i.e. being invited "to the observance
of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer,
fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's
holy Word."

Like so many things in life, Lent does not happen automatically.
For Lent to be a holy season you will have had to make some personal
choices. You will have placed conscious attention to how you are
going to live during these 40 days and 40 nights so you will have
an enhanced experience of our Lord's presence in your life.

During this time of the year I am asked many questions regarding
both the disciplines and traditions of Lent. So I have assembled
here a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) about Lent in hopes that
it will assist you in coming to a fuller understanding of the God-given
opportunities for spiritual growth during this holy time of the
year.

Why is Lent's liturgical color purple, the color of
royalty?

The purple that is used for Lent and Advent is not royal purple,
but penitential purple. Royal purple is a reddish purple, almost
magenta. In ancient times it came from a rare mollusk that only
grew off the shores of Tyre in the Mediterranean , and it could
only be afforded by the very rich and royalty. The purple associated
with penitence and mourning is a deep bluish purple, anciently
made from the juices of berries and grapes. Lent is a time that
emphasize penitence for our sinfulness. The season expects self-examination
and self-discipline in preparation for the benefits of the death
and resurrection of Jesus. Thus the Lenten purple reminds us of
that spiritual process.

Then why is purple and lavender a color used during
Easter, a time for rejoicing?

It isn't in the church - this only takes place in secular Easter
practices and has no Christian symbolism. The color of Easter is
white, the color representing purity and joy. The secular use of
purple is probably an "overflow" of Lent, which most secular Easter
celebrations ignore.

Has Lent always lasted forty days?

No, but that length became commonplace by the end of the 4 th
century. The earliest Christians only observed a fasting period
of 3 to 7 days. Then for a period of time most Christians only
observed Holy Week, but they observed it with much more extreme
penitence and fasting that we do today.

Why are there no altar flowers during Lent?

Lent is a penitential season, and flowers are usually associated
with rejoicing. For this reason the altar is bare, except for some
greenery to remind us that our Lenten journey is an integral part
of our eternal journey into God. During Lent we use none of the
usual symbols of rejoicing, such as singing or saying "Alleluia." Even
though Sunday is never a fast day, in order to encourage our Lenten
discipline, we make Sunday services more somber during Lent.

Why is the big brass altar cross removed during Lent
and wooden crosses used on the family service altar, the chapel
altar and as a processional cross?

The big brass altar cross is a resurrection cross - with the Easter
symbol of ivy beautifully etched on its vertical and cross beams.
Thus it is removed because our Lenten journey must proceed through
Good Friday before we arrive at the empty tomb on Easter. On the
central panel of the reredos directly behind the altar is a depiction
of the crucifixion of our Lord - a powerful means of focusing on
the high cost of our salvation through the death of Christ.

We use bare wooden crosses during the season on the other altars
and for our processional cross to remind us that this is a season
of solemn penitence and prayer. The starkness of the plain wooden
cross also remind us more of the crucifixion rather than the resurrection.
However, their emptiness reminds us that death does not have the
last word because God has in raising his Beloved Son demonstrated
in no uncertain terms that our destiny is one of eternity.

Are we required to fast in Lent?

No, although the Episcopal Church strongly encourages it. We all
know that the Episcopal Church has few mandates, preferring to
leave most spiritual discipline up to the individual conscious
of its members. Likewise, the Roman Catholic Church recently dropped
its Lenten mandates, other than to require fasting on Ash Wednesday
and Good Friday.

Why do we talk about the forty days of Lent, when
there are actually forty-six days by the calendar?

Sunday is always a feast day even during Lent. Each Sunday is
a commemoration of the Resurrection, thus it can never be called
a day of fasting. So, when one discounts the six Sundays during
Lent, this season is forty days long.

Does this mean that one does not have to observe his
or her Lenten discipline on Sundays during Lent?

Technically, yes, However, most people
find that it is easier and more spiritually rewarding to continue
the Lenten disciplines of prayer and almsgiving on Sundays even
though they are not required.

Do we have festive events such as baptisms and weddings
during Lent?

No. They are not absolutely forbidden,
but they are strongly discouraged, and are usually done only in
pastoral emergencies.

What is Maundy Thursday?

This is the day we commemorate the Last
Supper, the first Holy Eucharist. At the Last Supper Jesus washed
the feet of his Apostles and gave them a new commandment, "that
you love one another." The term Maundy comes from the Middle English maunde, "foot-washing." This
comes from the Old French mande , "commandment," referring
to the commandment that he gave to them after washing their feet.

Why is the day of Jesus' death called Good Friday?

For all of its horrors and being such
a frightening mirror on our human capacity of evil, this day is
nevertheless good for us, because in the death of Jesus we are
all freed from the bondage of sin. However, the name of this day
is actually a corruption of the Middle English Godes Fridai , "God's
Friday."

In conclusion, Lent can be a holy season for each one of us. Regular
worship with our faith community at church, Bible study and other
opportunities for growth will be of great value, but when "push
comes to shove", a conscious decision is required on your part.
My heart-felt wish and deepest prayer is that you give it a try.

Around the Parish Nancy Reiersen

Five stalwart regulars
from the Christ Church Second Saturday Feeding Ministry were honored
at the Council of Churches dinner last month for their hard work
and dedication. Congratulations to Phyllis Bath, Margaret
Harris, David Holt, Dorothy Rivera, and John Watson on
this well-deserved recognition of your efforts. The dinner also
marked the official installation of Fr. Michael as
president of the Council, and the appointment of Ed
Craig as a member of the Council Board.

Congratulations to Phyllis Bath and Nick Dowen as
they take on their new assignments at Christ Church . During the
February 2004 Vestry meeting Phyllis was unanimously elected to
the Treasurer's post (Dick Sigman is thrilled!) and Nick has taken
on the important job of Clerk of the Vestry.

Glad to report that Jay Spadaro is
responding quite well to the series of chemotherapy treatments
that he has been undergoing over the past few months. Get well
wishes also go out to Bill Brown and Ann
Sohm who each underwent surgery in the past month:
Bill for a hip replacement, and Ann for surgery on her wrist.

It's good to have Sarah Kanner back
with us on Sunday morning. She had been attending school in Pennsylvania
, and has transferred back to the College of Staten Island where
she's majoring in Education.

Congratulations to Thomas Liu , our
talented young accompanist for the Sunday morning Family Service.
Tom won fourth place in the PSAL Open Swimming and Diving Championship
events last month.

"Don't let the parade pass me by" - at least, that's what 'Li
Black , son of Connie and Buster
Black, said last month when the Tottenville
High School Marching Band led the electric light parade in
the Magic Kingdom at Disneyworld during the February midwinter
break. 'Li gets to carry - and play - the bass drum with the
band.

We were saddened to hear of the passing of Eileen
Murray , who succumbed to a brain tumor on February
18. Eileen was a long-time member of Christ Church and our
condolences go out to her family. Her warmth and her cheerful
smile will be missed by many of us here.

That's all for now. Keep warm and think Spring!

Vestry Notes Nick Dowen

The regularly scheduled
meeting of the Vestry of Christ Church took place on February 9,
2004 . New Vestry officers were elected: Nick Dowen is the Clerk
of the Vestry, and Phyllis Bat is the Treasurer.

Lesley Shannon submitted hard-hitting summaries of parish priorities,
derived from parishioners' completed questionnaires. These summaries
have been posted in the Guild Room. Look them over during the Coffee
Hour on Sunday.

The Rector reported that the hours of our sexton, James Angone,
will be:

It was announced that the city has given the final approval on
the renovations that were completed quite a while ago in the basement
and that we can now begin utilizing this space as a sheep shelter
. Project Hospitality, under the direction of the Rev. Terry Troia,
will begin this program in two weeks.

The dates for various upcoming Special Events were announced.
Mark your calendars for the Spring Fair , set
for Saturday, June 12 from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. ; the Chinese
Auction on Friday, October 1 at 6 p.m. ; the St.
Nick's Fair on Saturday, November 20, with November 27
as the snow date; and the Holly Ball on Saturday
December 11. There will also be a Pasta Supper on
Friday, March 19 at 6 p.m. and a Fish Fry on
Friday, April 12 at 6 p.m.

It was voted to empower Rick Boody, parish financial advisor,
to implement an investment strategy of 60 percent equity and 40
percent fixed income, which had been in his proposal.

What is ECW? Shirley Elfers

The Episcopal Church
Women is a National Church Organization. There is a Diocese of
New York branch with its own set-up of officers and concerns. A
Diocesan Board is responsible for programs and finances. Its Diocesan
office is at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10025

ECW attempts to invite all women into a program of worship, study
and service. Every woman in the Episcopal Church is already an
ECW member by virtue of her baptism.

The President of the diocesan ECW serves ex
officio as a member
of Diocesan Council, Cathedral Trustee, and Diocesan Nominating
Committee. New York is in Province II of the Church and ECW Board
members attend the annual Provincial Synod meetings. The Diocesan
Board meets six times a year to plan events and projects including
the annual School of Worship at The Cathedral in March, United
Thank Offering collections,' and=the annual Fall Conference.
Three grants are made each year to the General Theological Seminary
for two women seminarians from the Diocese; to the Dean for Cathedral
programs; and to the Diocesan Steer Youth conference.

Each ECW unit pledges annually to support:Diocesan Expense and
Provincial Fund (administrative expenses)Convention and Conference
Fund (delegates to Triennial meetings, Fall Conference and School
of Worship)Christian Social Concerns - Programs and
Projects (support individual parish programs)Christian Social Concerns - Scholarships (grants to first year college students; also send needy children
to summer camp)

The Women of Christ Church pledged a total of $175.00 in 2003
for the above categories.

Benefits of membership in The Women of Christ Church (ECW) are:
• Spiritual enrichment
• Fellowship in parish and community
• Individual fulfillment through service to
people.
You don't have to worry about the formalities of joining - you already belong!

Each Person Has a
Role to Play

Have you ever heard
a handbell choir play? Perhaps you even played in one yourself?
If you've ever seen a handbell performance, you know that each
member rings, at most, just a few bells. Each member can only perform
those notes.

Therefore, it's extremely important that each choir member knows
the music very well. Missing a note means that the congregation
hears "Silent
(silence)" instead of "Silent Night!" No one can replace
a note someone else missed. Handbell choirs practice so hard that
these mistakes are few.

In a way, a congregation is like a handbell choir. Each person
has a role to play, whether teaching in Sunday school, washing
dishes after a church dinner, visiting shut-ins, singing in choirs,
or some other form of service. When someone is missing, the result
isn't as good as it could have been, However, when each person
does his or her part, God (our Audience) sees everyone's work
blend into a beautiful whole.

Women of Christ Church Martha Keucher

(Editor's
Note: This article was meant to appear in our February issue
but didn't get to us by press time; however, despite the seasonal
references, Martha's warm and lovely writing style is worth
the read at any time!)

Christmas candles and table decorations transformed the Vestry
Room at the carry-in luncheon of the Women of Christ Church on
December 11. It was a good way to start off the new season. Members
brought their favorite dishes and filled the serving table. Needless
to say, there are many good cooks in our group and we all enjoyed
every bite!

We were happy to welcome guests Gretchen Blumoehr and Mary McNamara,
Ann Louderback, who is not always able to be with us, and Phyllis
Bath, whom we hope will become a regular member.

Earlier in the day the service of Healing and Holy Communion had
been celebrated by Fr. Michael in the chapel. This lovely space
will be made even more beautiful during the Advent season, when
we hang the new frontal that is Joy Woodall's memorial for her
late husband, John.

In the Vestry room, a table had been set aside for the gifts of
toys and clothing that go to Safe Horizons. The offering, which
amounted to $100.00 will be given to Eden II School for Autistic
Children. It was a very pleasant afternoon and closed with a good
feeling that we had done something for people who need our help.

We will meet again in March. So mark your calendars for Thursday,
March 11. Bring a sandwich and join us for the service of Healing
and Holy Communion at 11:00 a.m. ; meeting and lunch will follow
in the Parish House.

The Vestry Envisions
the
Church's Future Lesley Shannon

Have you ever thought
about what Christ Church will be like in five years? You may have
placed colored dots on the posters in the Guild Room beside those
responses that you agreed with. All of this questioning and reflecting
was a prelude to the long-range planning process. Now it's time
for the Vestry to connect the dots!

Recently, our Vestry, along with Fr. Michael, participated in
a long-range planning session led by Fr. Michael Delaney from St.
Andrew's Church, Richmondtown. After some bible study, we discussed
our existence and purpose as a church. We reflected on our mission
statement and how it can be used as a guide for our long-range
plan. We studied and discussed the responses to the parish survey.

Some of the items that were highlighted in the survey responses
are: music, buildings, diversity, outreach, youth, attendance,
fellowship, family and spirituality. We also discussed the physical
appearance of our building and the impression they give, our neighborhood,
outreach programs, attracting new membership, and finances. Finally,
Fr. Michael gave a report on the demographics of the New Brighton
area, which will be invaluable when we plan our involvement in
the neighborhood and community.

We continued the long-range planning during the February Vestry meeting.
After reviewing a ranking of the survey responses, we spent time
envisioning how the church will look, sound, feel and even smell
five years from now. During this envisioning session, the Vestry
worked hard to see our church as a lively parish sponsoring vital
ministries with programs that have already overcome any constraining
details. Our work as parishioners of Christ Church will be to work
through the constraints and make the vision a reality.

Easter Memorial Flowers Shirley Elfers

Those who would
like to contribute to the memorial flowers for Easter should list
the names of those to be remembered and place envelopes containing
donations in the offering plate on a Sunday. Flower Fund envelopes
will be found in the pews. Checks should be drawn to Women
of Christ Church .

Names and donations may also be mailed directly to Mrs. Richard
Elfers, 61 North Randall Ave. , Staten Island , NY 10301 . To be
listed in the Easter bulletin, all names must be received no later
than Palm Sunday.

Christ Church Lenten
Series Anne Devlin

Be sure to mark
your calendars for three Wednesday evening Lenten programs at Christ
Church which have been specially designed to nurture your body,
mind and spirit! A light supper and discussion will follow the
6:30 p.m. Eucharist. Don't worry if you can't make it here by 6:30 - latecomers
are welcome!

Wednesday, March 10 th

Spiritual Metaphors in Everyday Life

(Suggested reading: Carl Jung's "Modern Man in Search of a Soul";
Mother Teresa's "A Simple Path"; Rick Warren's "The Purpose Driven
Life"; Wayne Dyer's "There is A Spiritual Solution to Every Problem";
Joseph Campbell's "The Power of Myth.") Call Anne Devlin at 718-981-0602
to borrow titles. Don't be intimidated - if you don't have time
to read come anyway; passages from these books will be read aloud
for discussion.

Wednesday, March 17th

Saints Alive!

The Paradoxical Commandments (10 inspirational statements often
attributed, erroneously, to Mother Teresa, but written by Dr. Kent
M. Keith, copyright 1968 and 2003. Copies are available in the
church office or online at www.wallyamos.com.

Wednesday, March 24 th

Current Cinema Controversy: Mel Gibson's, "The Passion
of the Christ."

It will be helpful to view the movie prior to this discussion.
Anne Devlin is willing to organize a car pool to a Saturday matinee.
Be aware that the movie has an "R" rating due to graphic violence.

These discussion groups are open to all visitors. Please bring a
friend. If you have any questions or suggestions, please call Anne
Devlin at 718-981-6082.